Criterion go Blu-Ray!

chris21 · 07-05-2008, 23:57

Announced at dvdtimes!

poissony · 08-05-2008, 00:11

Good news. I'll probably only get the Third Man out of that initial list. I was expecting that Criterion + BluRay would equal mucho money but $40 list price for The Last Emporer is comparable to other BR's.

http://dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=67696

Chibouk · 08-05-2008, 05:36

At last some good news on the blu-ray front (for me at least). I was seriously wondering if I'd made the right move by buying into the format, as so many of the disks I buy are SD releases from Criterion or Eureka (Masters of Cinema).

Can't wait to see how these disks fair in HD.

Edit: I was just thinking, do you think that these disks will be region coded?

Terribly_Mauled · 08-05-2008, 07:12

Third Man and The Wages of Fear for me. Love em.

As for the region coding - could go either way. Will Criterion do a New Line and protect their native investment, or open up to the world and get even greater exposure? Tough call.

Art Vanderlay · 08-05-2008, 07:41

Chungking Express for me - hopefully they will be region free

Mark B · 08-05-2008, 07:41

They've tended to always aim for making their DVDs region 0 when rights allowed. Can't see them moving from that position to be honest since they are a niche market.

hallanthony · 08-05-2008, 07:54

Great news, its a shame there's no Seven Samurai though

Hopefully it won't be too long coming though as it's a relatively new transfer so hopefully HD was thought of when it done

Niceguygeoff · 08-05-2008, 08:33

Hurrah! There's not much to tempt me in that initial line-up (wish that they'd gone for Rushmore instead of Bottle Rocket) but I'm glad that this announcement has finally arrived.

jroadley · 08-05-2008, 09:06

Best thread ever?

the thing with no name · 08-05-2008, 09:06

excellent news - can't wait until they do Brazil

SimonI · 08-05-2008, 09:25

I was surprised by there being no Seven Samurai on the list, but there are still plenty of titles on that list I'd buy. I've been holding off buying any Criterions this year in anticipation of this happening

As for region coding, I don't think they have a lot of choice: if their licensor demands it they have to do it; and sometimes these things change for some reason - their first lot of Tatis were R0, but the re-released Playtime is R1.

Anyway - great news! Now I have to consider when and what sort of BD player to get (and persuade the wife!)...

TheDot · 08-05-2008, 11:28

Thankfully I didnt purchase The Last Emporer when I was planning to last month

Best news here is the price, Criterions are a little more expensive on SD(but worth it most of the time) so I was dreading to think what price the HD upgrades would eventually cost.

Definately have to pick up The Third Man, Bottle Rocket, Chungking Express and The Last Emperor, but looking at the list I wouldnt mind 400 blows, For All Makind, Contempt and may finally have to check out Walkabout

Purpledump · 08-05-2008, 12:51

And here I was, thinking it would take a while before Criterion make a move onto Hi-Def and allow me to save up some money first.

I'm just hoping they'll find a way of getting round the Blue frame around the "Blu-Ray" cases, so it doesn't clash with their stylish covers.

camaj · 08-05-2008, 13:09

Nothing really in there for me. My dad would love The Third Man but has no HD equipment

Martin Ball · 08-05-2008, 19:53

Hopefully they will be region free. If they are then bring on Last Emperor. If not themn they will have to wait until I get a region free or Region A player.

As I read it they have to renegotiate the rights to get a HD release so this may hold up / prevent many of their releases. But hopefully Rushmore, Brazil, Seven Samurai, Royal Tenembaums will be coming soon.

Tob · 08-05-2008, 21:28

Ooooh, Chungking Express for me please. Fingers crossed for region free goodness too.

The Bear · 08-05-2008, 21:45

I was expecting this but not so soon after the HD-DVD pull out. Criterion always said they'd wait until it was one format HD before releasing anything.

mattmccabebrown · 09-05-2008, 05:00

It is awesome news indeed. Now I just have to find a job that pays more

MovieMax · 10-05-2008, 00:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Ball

Hopefully they will be region free. If they are then bring on Last Emperor. If not themn they will have to wait until I get a region free or Region A player.

As I read it they have to renegotiate the rights to get a HD release so this may hold up / prevent many of their releases. But hopefully Rushmore, Brazil, Seven Samurai, Royal Tenembaums will be coming soon.

and let's not forget 'Naked Lunch'.

chris21 · 10-05-2008, 00:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovieMax

and let's not forget 'Naked Lunch'.

And Dead Ringers.